Promoting life: Living for today

Thursday

Sep 7, 2017 at 1:54 PM

Carrie Dungan crutledgeb

Resilience. Members of the Army community have probably lost count of how often they’ve heard the term. However, it is an important motto for everyone associated with the military to live and understand. During a physical training session and forum Aug. 31, Soldiers and civilians across the installation came together to learn more about the importance of resilience and promoting life in their communities. The “Fun PT Session” featured special guest Timothy McKyer, a three time Superbowl champion with the San Francisco 49ers. McKyer sweated alongside Fort Bragg Soldiers and civilian employees as they made their way through several stations, including crunches, high knees, elevated pushups and more. McKyer said he appreciated the opportunity to interact with service members during the workout. “I felt compelled to do what I can to encourage the Soldiers that life’s good. There are other ways to cope with the stresses that they go through ... there are people that care.”Like other NFL players, McKyer said he feels football players and Soldier have a lot in common. Both have to deal with a high level of stress and are mission-driven. He emphasized his respect for all service members for what they do on a daily basis. After sharing words of encouragement with PT session participants, McKyer opened up the floor to questions about playing in the NFL. He gave advice on talking to young players about their future and reenacted plays with his favorite teammates. Later that morning, the Fort Bragg community gathered at the U.S. Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command (Airborne) Drill Hall for a forum aimed at promoting life. The featured speaker was Chief Warrant Officer 4 Clifford Bauman, who shared his journey from being a first responder during 9/11, to having survivor’s guilt, an attempted suicide and emphasized everything he has to live for today. Bauman said he encourages everyone, especially Soldiers, to have something they enjoy doing outside of work. “We all go through things; it’s how we deal with things,” he explained. Many of the audience members at the forum had recently attended a Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training, and Bauman concluded with some advice for all who find themselves in an intervention situation.“Keep an open mind,” he said. “Try not to have any predisposed thoughts — you never know what you are going to hear.”Throughout September, Fort Bragg will focus on “Life Promotion.” This week’s featured theme is fitness and exercise. The following weekly themes are healthy eating, mental health awareness, and resilience.